Castilla closed October with a 2–0 victory over Cartagena, while Racing Santander confirmed two absences and tightened ticket controls ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Real Madrid. Elsewhere, a report has emerged that Éder Militão’s home was burgled during the Clásico, and the coaches who followed Yan Diomande’s development have discussed the qualities that helped him reach Madrid. Cadena SER
Militão’s home reportedly burgled during the Clásico
Éder Militão’s home was burgled while he was with Real Madrid for last Sunday’s Clásico, according to El Mundo.
The newspaper reports that watches, jewelry and other belongings worth more than €350,000 were taken while members of the defender’s family were inside the property.
The incident reportedly occurred during the first half of the October 25 match. At least two people entered the property while relatives watched the game elsewhere in the house. Militão was in Madrid’s matchday squad in Barcelona but did not come off the bench.
According to the report, the occupants had not initially noticed the intrusion. Police and private security personnel subsequently attended the property, where belongings were found scattered around the defender’s room. The reported value of the stolen items remains an estimate.
Fortuny and Ciria give Castilla a 2–0 victory
Real Madrid Castilla defeated Cartagena 2–0 at the Alfredo Di Stéfano, with Pol Fortuny and Alexis Ciria establishing the decisive advantage inside the opening 17 minutes. Julián López de Lerma’s team protected that lead through the remainder of the match to return to winning ways.
Fortuny opened the scoring in the 12th minute, meeting Álvaro Leiva’s diagonal delivery from the left and finishing across the goalkeeper. Ciria doubled the lead five minutes later, carrying the ball forward from his own half before cutting into shooting space and sending a left-footed effort in off the post. The goals left Cartagena chasing the match before the first half had properly settled.
Cartagena briefly thought they had reduced the deficit when Marcos Moreno found the net around the half-hour mark, but the goal was disallowed following a foul by Ibán Ribeiro on Diego Aguado. After the interval, the visitors also sought a penalty through a Football Video Support review, but the referee maintained that no penalty should be awarded.
The victory continues Castilla’s productive run at home: they had already beaten Atlético Madrileño and Antequera at the Di Stéfano during October. Saturday’s clean sheet ensured they finished the month with another three points in front of their supporters.
Diomande’s academy coach: “He was always very intelligent and eager to learn”
José Julián López Morales has recalled the early development of Yan Diomande at Academia AFI Sud Comoé in an AS feature examining the winger’s path to Madrid. The coach described a player whose dribbling immediately distinguished him, but whose willingness to learn proved just as important.
“We immediately saw that he was a very special child with the ball. He was a dribbler, a player who took on defenders, direct and audacious. We moved him up from the U12 to the U14 level right away. Our first task with him was to teach him to pause and understand the game because he was capable of taking the ball in his own goal and dribbling past five or six opponents older than him until he scored or they took the ball from him. He was always very intelligent and eager to learn, both at school and on the field. I remember the way he looked at me when I explained concepts to him; he loved to listen and understand the reasons behind things,” López said.
That appetite for improvement extended beyond football. López explained that education was central to the academy’s work and that Diomande approached the classroom with the same determination he showed on the pitch.
“He was a marvel and paid close attention to everything. He quickly grasped the most important concepts and understood the game much better. He had an enormous ambition to improve, something that also extended to the school we had at the center, because the project consisted of offering a comprehensive education to the children, since 80% of those who arrived couldn’t read or write. Yan excelled both in the classroom and on the field. He always wanted to progress and put all his effort into it.”
Natural ability—and the work to develop it
López identified Diomande’s ball-striking and close control as qualities that were evident from the beginning. The academy’s task was to help him understand how and when to use them.
“Dribbling and shooting were innate. We gave him his first boots and he took off. His teammates could barely get near the goal when they took a shot, and he was in charge of the corner kicks because he had an incredible knack for striking the ball. Technically, he was also a marvel; he could keep the ball up for hours without it dropping. We worked a lot with him tactically, but he had the natural gift for football from birth. His talent was immense. He was very well-rounded, and he also had a good head on his shoulders. He was incredibly lucky that Bamba crossed his path.”
The coach also recalled Diomande’s willingness to compete against older opponents and his early preference for the right wing.
“There’s no league there, so we looked for friendly matches, some of them against youth teams, with kids who looked like the fathers of our boys. He was never intimidated and showed his enormous talent every time. He loved a challenge. He almost always played on the right wing and was a nightmare because he tore defenders apart. It wasn’t common to play him on the left, as started to happen years later.”
The academy’s impact beyond football
For López, the academy’s significance was not limited to producing professional players. He recalled how the provision of regular meals and schooling shaped the children’s experience.
“I get goosebumps when I remember what many of the young players we had there told me. When I asked them what the most important thing was for them about being at the Academy, they said being able to eat every day. And it was free. They developed there as players and as people, and we must have done a good job in recruitment and training because eleven of those boys are footballers in Europe and more than twenty play in the first division of Ivory Coast. But Yan’s story is exceptional because he went from playing barefoot to being a global superstar.”
The AS feature also includes the recollections of Fran Castaño, director of African Talent Elite, who first watched Diomande during an Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament.
“The first time I saw him play live was in a qualifying tournament for the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations. He caught my eye from the very first moment. He easily outpaced his opponents, offered an outlet on both flanks, was talented, and had an eye for goal. He scored several in that tournament. He stood out for his skill and power. He was clearly superior to the rest, even though he was only fifteen years old, younger than the players he was competing against.”
Pride in Ivory Coast
Miguel Ángel Hoyo, Ivory Coast’s national basketball coach, described the response to Diomande’s Madrid move and the significance supporters have attached to his progress.
“It’s been crazy. It’s practically all anyone is talking about here, and what people emphasize most is that Diomande is proof that with talent, effort, and hard work, you can reach the top even starting from absolute poverty. The people are thrilled and delighted. Football in this part of the world is an escape from the usual problems of daily life, and the news of his signing for Real Madrid gave everyone an emotional boost. It’s something that has given us hope for the future.”
Sport Ivoire journalist Kader Guilavogui also pointed to the confidence Diomande has gained as he settles into Madrid.
“We are all very proud of him, and there is widespread enthusiasm. It’s clear he has gained confidence after a difficult start due to adapting, and he is already demonstrating much of his potential. He is overcoming the challenge and is an example for all young people in Ivory Coast.”
Racing block tickets linked to 41 people over resale
Racing Santander have blocked tickets or season-ticket access belonging to 41 people following an investigation into resale ahead of Madrid’s visit to El Sardinero. The club’s official statement identifies 15 season-ticket holders, six registered supporters and 20 people enrolled in its active ticket-applicant register, RASE.
Those affected have been informed that they cannot enter the stadium without first visiting the ticket office to clarify their situation. Racing will also strengthen entry checks for Sunday, November 1’s match, which kicks off at 4:15 p.m. Madrid time.
The club has opened disciplinary proceedings under its membership and ticketing regulations. The immediate action is the blocking of access; Racing says it will announce the outcome of each case once the relevant procedures have been completed. Permanent expulsion has therefore not been announced as a blanket punishment for all 41 people.
The statement appealed to supporters not to exploit the demand surrounding the fixture.
“We want, once again, to appeal to the solidarity among Racing fans. With a stadium that has clearly become too small to meet the demand generated in most matches, and especially in those with the character of an event such as the visit of the giants of Spanish football, it is unacceptable that some Racing fans try to profit at the expense of other Racing fans, who have complied with the regulations and who, due to excessive demand, have not even been able to buy a ticket,” the club stated.
Andrés Martín and Salinas unavailable against Madrid
Racing will be without Andrés Martín for Sunday’s match after muscular discomfort prevented the winger from completing training during the week. He has been omitted from José Alberto López’s 22-player squad. Jorge Salinas is also unavailable through suspension after collecting his fifth yellow card against Espanyol.
There is better news for Simon Eriksson, who is included following his recovery from a shoulder problem. The goalkeeper had already returned to the squad for Racing’s Copa del Rey meeting with Ribadesella.
Video: Mbappé produces another training highlight
Kylian Mbappé features in a training clip ahead of Madrid’s trip to Santander, producing a moment of skill to win a point during the session:
